Was this the best World Cup ever?

[Suiteness]

Is Aime Jacques the only coach who retired after having led his team to a World Cup-victory? I think so. All the others went on to the next one just to humiliate themselves. Menotti, Bearzot, Lippi, Del Bosque, Löw to name a few.

Scolari quit Brazil after the 2002 WC win, he came back to humiliate himself 12 years later.

Lippi also left immediately after the Wc nut came back two years later.

[...]
Tite also had a bad tournament sticking with Jesus when Firmino clearly was in better form.

They were never going to win this thing with such a stubborn dumb coach. I don't know what it is with these Gaucho coaches but they constantly make the same mistakes ( Dunga, Scolari and now Tite).

 

[Harry22]

I agree they're better than the teams they beat, but they got some luck goals in almost all KO matches. Pavard strike, Muslera blunder (against a Cavaniless Uruguay), Umtiti v Belgium, Mandzukic and Griezmann PK goals when Croatia was much better in the match in the final, etc. They deserved to win cause they played a more complete game and they had more talent up front than most teams but overall this France side was just good almost meh. I see them as similar to Portugal's Euro winning side, France has more individual talent in all positions but the style of play and performance were similar.

Belgium, France and Brazil were the top 3 teams in this WC, imo and all three end up in the same side of the bracket that also was a bit frustrating, imo as Croatia hd a cupcake walk to the final (and almost didn't make it).

Every champion needs to be lucky to win a World Cup. This French team however is better than Spain in 2010, Brazil 1994 and even the French team of 1998.

France were never in trouble in this tournament.

 

[Suiteness]

Every champion needs to be lucky to win a World Cup. This French team however is better than Spain in 2010, Brazil 1994 and even the French team of 1998.

France 1998 had a MUCH better defense than this edition, and even though he was not at his best in 98, Zidane was miles ahead of any French player on this team. Hell, I'd say France 2006 was probably better than both WC winning teams.

Pogba, Kanté and Matuidi Vs Alonso, Xavi and Iniesta. Even the biggest homer on the planet cannot seriously even attempt to make a case for the former against the latter.

 

[Evilo]

No just no.
98 Zidane was awful all WC except a couple of corners in the final.
Plenty of French players had a better WC then and had a better WC this year.
2006 was all Vieira and a couple of magic ZZ plays.
This year's team is much more complete.

 

[Evilo]

As for Spain Seriously?
Spain was hardly an impressive winner. If that's your only argument (being a Homer) I guess that settles the question.

 

[Evilo]

Mbappe and Griezzmann against Pedro and a washed up Torres OMG what a Homer.
See how ridiculous it is?

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Mbappe and Griezzmann against Pedro and a washed up Torres OMG what a Homer.
See how ridiculous it is?

I mean, also top scorer of the tournament David Villa (and Torres at that point was not washed up). Spain suffocated their way to a WC title, they didn't win through offensive flair, but your comparison is disingenuous.

 

[Evilo]

Of course it is. That was my whole point.

 

[Evilo]

4 straight 1-0.
Lol.

 

[Stray Wasp]

I don't know what it is with these Gaucho coaches but they constantly make the same mistakes ( Dunga, Scolari and now Tite).

I have heard it suggested that the football culture in Rio Grande do Sul is far more influenced by Argentinian and Uruguayan styles. And as we know, football from those two countries can be pretty polarised between technique and physicality.

 

[Chandrashekhar Limit]

It's the best one from 98-present. I haven't seen any other ones

 

[John Pedro]

They were never going to win this thing with such a stubborn dumb coach. I don't know what it is with these Gaucho coaches but they constantly make the same mistakes ( Dunga, Scolari and now Tite).

I have heard it suggested that the football culture in Rio Grande do Sul is far more influenced by Argentinian and Uruguayan styles. And as we know, football from those two countries can be pretty polarised between technique and physicality.

yeah it seems like coaches from RS are more stubborn and defensive-minded than the rest of the country, mostly due to their roots and influence from Uruguay and Argentina. Anyway, Brazil still doesn't have a great pool of managers which hurts the NT a lot... it's improving with some 'young' coaches like Carille (44, left to Saudi Arabia, though), Jair Ventura (39, Santos' coach), Barbieri (36, Flamengo's coach), Rogerio Ceni (45, Fortaleza) but most play more a counter-attack style, Rogerio Ceni and Barbieri are the only ones that like a more possession-based game.

 

[Harry22]

France 1998 had a MUCH better defense than this edition, and even though he was not at his best in 98, Zidane was miles ahead of any French player on this team. Hell, I'd say France 2006 was probably better than both WC winning teams.

Pogba, Kanté and Matuidi Vs Alonso, Xavi and Iniesta. Even the biggest homer on the planet cannot seriously even attempt to make a case for the former against the latter.

Lol this team is miles ahead of France 2006. That team was all Zidane and Viera lol.

 

[Deficient Mode]

France 1998 had a MUCH better defense than this edition, and even though he was not at his best in 98, Zidane was miles ahead of any French player on this team. Hell, I'd say France 2006 was probably better than both WC winning teams.

Pogba, Kanté and Matuidi Vs Alonso, Xavi and Iniesta. Even the biggest homer on the planet cannot seriously even attempt to make a case for the former against the latter.

*Busquets, Xavi, and Iniesta.

 

[member 305909]

The most recent World Cup usually is considered the best one if you are OK with the eventual winners and the tournament wasn't really by all acoounts full of horrible negative football and lots of 0-0's.

The worst tournament in my lifetime is by miles the 2002 WC. It had everything wrong about it. Not only the eventual winners, I mean that I don't deny Brazil were deserved winners but I didn't like it.

The tournament-format was stupid with two halves of closed draws meaning that many teams could not meet in the final because they were on the same side of the draw.

South-Korea cheated their way all the way to semis. Germany must have been the worst team ever to reach the final. They were incredibly lucky with their route to the final. The South Koreans had apparently already lost their means to cheat even more when they met Germany.

France as the defending champions were woeful and Argentina, the other hyped team prior to the tournament, weren't much better and also crashed out of the tournament in the group-stage.

All this and on top of that because of time-zones some very inconvenient times for matches.

 

[Corto]

The most recent World Cup usually is considered the best one if you are OK with the eventual winners and the tournament wasn't really by all acoounts full of horrible negative football and lots of 0-0's.

The worst tournament in my lifetime is by miles the 2002 WC. It had everything wrong about it. Not only the eventual winners, I mean that I don't deny Brazil were deserved winners but I didn't like it.

South-Korea cheated their way all the way to semis. Germany must have been the worst team ever to reach the final. They were incredibly lucky with their route to the final. The South Koreans had apparently already lost their means to cheat even more when they met Germany.

People forget that the worst call of the tournament wasn't against Italy or Spain (though both teams were absolutely robbed).

Worst call was vs Belgium in the 2nd round vs Brazil. Belgium should've been 1-0 up at half time and who knows how it would've ended up if Wilmots' goal wasn't disallowed for some unknown reason.

 

[Luigi Habs]

My favorite is 86
2nd is 98
This one is 3rd

2002 was absolutely terrible
2010 wasn't good either

94 rather bad

2006 and 2010 were ok

Can't say before 86

 

[Suiteness]

People forget that the worst call of the tournament wasn't against Italy or Spain (though both teams were absolutely robbed).

Worst call was vs Belgium in the 2nd round vs Brazil. Belgium should've been 1-0 up at half time and who knows how it would've ended up if Wilmots' goal wasn't disallowed for some unknown reason.

It's fair to say that Karma payed back the Brazilians against Belgium in this WC for that one.

 

[Power Man]

1986 is still my favourite. IMO best game of all time in the QF, spectacular games, fantastic teams crashing early, legendary cheating,
Disagree with it being the worst since 90. It had lots of great moments and lots of great games.
2010 was a bore to me, especially after Ghana crashed.
2002 was awful. Germany was a snooze fest.
1994 was awful as well. Defense all around. Disgusting final.
And not because France crashed in all of them (though I'm sure it played a part). Lack of ambition, lack of goals, boring winner/finalist.

Pretty much this.

My dad - another generation - to this day says 1970 is the best WC he's ever watched

 

[maclean]

I had a phase of "sports are stupid" so 98 was really the first I paid attention to and hasn't been beat in my mind since then. Second since that time I'd probably give to 2006, despite the personal let-downs that took place. Didn't think much of 2002 or 2014, so I'd probably rank this year at roughly the same level as 2010, i.e. "had its moments".

 

[robertmac43]

Canada was in it! (briefly)

Hopefully some day they will go and come with a goal!

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Every champion needs to be lucky to win a World Cup. This French team however is better than Spain in 2010, Brazil 1994 and even the French team of 1998.

France were never in trouble in this tournament.

This French team might be better individually but it isn't better than Spain 2010 as a team. Just no.

 

[Power Man]

This French team might be better individually but it isn't better than Spain as a team. Just no.

Champions find ways to win

Look at 82 Brazil. Amazing team.
But they didn't win the title

 

[Suiteness]

Champions find ways to win

Look at 82 Brazil. Amazing team.
But they didn't win the title

They had an amazing midfield but terrible defense, gk and striker. That's not a way to win a WC.

 

[Power Man]

They had an amazing midfield but terrible defense, gk and striker. That's not a way to win a WC.

Exactly.
But man those highlight goals tho